Residents of Watford have walked, cycled, run and scooted their way to the 500,000-mile Beat the Street target in six weeks, securing a £1,000 donation for New Hope.

Grove Academy, in Fourth Avenue, won a £500 prize as the overall winner thanks to the children, parents and staff who between them pounded over 12,000 miles of streets.

Runners-up were Bromet Primary, who secured themselves £250 for their efforts.

Anne Heywood, principal at The Grove Academy, said: "We are so delighted to have won the highest point score in Watford. Our parents have really got behind Beat the Street, encouraging each other to get out and about.

"Children have enjoyed using their fobs, and the weekly comic prize has been a brilliant extra incentive to literally go that extra mile. More activity outdoors is so good for all of us. We are also delighted that the local charity we support, New Hope, is benefiting from this initiative."

The top prize for the average number of points was awarded to Bromet Primary.

Outgoing headteacher of Bromet school, Yvonne Graves, said: "The children, parents and staff have all loved doing Beat the Street – we’ve heard of many parents who have been taking their children out walking and cycling before and after school and at weekends. It’s been a great way of encouraging people to get out and about.”

The prizes were presented at two events at Grove Academy and Bromet Primary on Friday, July 18.

Teresa Heritage, Hertfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for public health, said: “Thank you and congratulations to everyone who took part in the Beat the Street competition. The effort that people have put in has been truly amazing; we have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the initiative.”

Dr William Bird, director of Intelligent Health, Beat the Street, added: “It has been a real pleasure to see Watford enjoying Beat the Street. It’s proved to be a real talking point amongst local communities and literally life-changing for some of the people who took part.

“We’d like to thank Hertfordshire County Council’s public health department and Watford Borough Council for their support and vision.”

The prizemoney was donated by Murrill Construction.